Thirty-something single mum Beth Haldane has her hands full, with a bouncy young son, haughty cat, a fringe with a mind of its own, and bills to pay. She loves her little home in plush London suburb Dulwich, but life here doesn’t come cheap.

She is thrilled to land the post of archivist at top local school Wyatt’s – though she secretly fears she’s not up to the job. But even Beth couldn’t have imagined how badly things could go, until she discovers a hideous crime and finds herself prime suspect.

Setting out to clear her name, Beth encounters a cast of characters who will follow her through the London Murder Mystery series, proving along the way that the nastiest secrets can lurk in the nicest places.

My Thoughts & Review:

Sometimes a cosy crime read is just what you need on a rainy day, and this book is just the ticket with a cuppa and a sneaky chocolate biscuit!

Beth Haldane turns amateur sleuth when she discovers a dead body on her first day at her new job at the local school Wyatt’s. Unfortunately for Beth, sleuthing becomes a necessity when she finds herself the prime suspect.
Beth is a character that I think most readers will connect to, she is strong and determined, she doesn’t give up easily and won’t let the killer get away.

The setting of Dulwich makes for interesting reading, the exclusivity and snobbery around the local area is a reality that many face and I think the author really set the scene with the descriptions of the parents at drop off/collection times of the schools. A bit like an iceberg, you only see what is on the surface, the picture perfect society. However, underneath there is something more sinister afoot, and people acting suspiciously always makes for a longer list of suspects.

As with other cosy crime novels, the writing is inkeeping with that you would expect with the genre. The key is in the subtleties, no graphic descriptions of blood and gore, instead a focus on the investigation (not always carried out by the police).
Having Beth as the investigative force makes this quite an enjoyable read, although there were moments I felt like shouting at her to leave it to the police. I found it quite a quick read, being able to curl up on the sofa in the evening with my Kindle and ignoring the ironing pile in favour of trying to piece the mystery together with Beth to find out who the killer was.